Drive mechanism



Feb. 9, 1960 G. c. FIELDS 7 2,924,086

DRIVE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1958 G. C. FIELDS DRIVEMECHANISM Feb. 9, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1958 IN V EN? OR.

AGI/VT DRIVE mCl-IANISM George C. Fields, Wilmette, 11]., assignor toPhilco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pin, a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication June s, 1958, set-n1 No. 740,157

6 Claims. or. 68-23) The present invention relates to drive mechanisms.While of broader applicability, mechanism of the present invention hasspecial utility in the field of laundry apparatus.

Apparatus of the above mentioned type, and to which the presentinvention has particular applicability, comprises a clothes tub mountedfor rotatable movement upon hub means, the latter having a shaft mountedcoaxially therewith, for driving movement relative thereto. An agitatoris supported by the shaft within the tub, and when washing or rinsingclothing within the tub the shaft is rotated while the hub means is heldsta-. tionary. This rotation of the shaft relative to the hub meanseffects movements of the agitator to carry out the washing and rinsingoperations.

It has been found advantageous, in accomplishment of the Washing action,freely to journal an agitator of suitable configuration on an obliquelydisposed member, such as a bearing coupled with a Suitably inclinedportion of the shaft, the agitator being held in fixed nonrotatablerelation with respect to the tub by a flexible interconnecting boot.Continuous unidirectional rotation of the drive shaft, acting throughthis eccentric-like mechanism imparts a tilting or wobbling motion tothe agitator, producing circulation of the washing fluid. Further, andin order to carry out the water extracting operations, for example byspinning the tub at a rapid rate, both the hub means and the agitatorare rotated as a unit by a single drive mechanism that is selectivelycoupleable, automatically, with either the washing or the liquidextracting mechanism.

Selective coupling of the mechanisms heretofore has required provisionof an especially designed clutch unit requiring relatively complexactuating linkages therefor, and it is a broad objective of thisinvention to provide simple and improved clutch means that affordsreleasable coupling between rotating elements.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide, in laundryapparatus utilizing a wobble plate agitator, simple and reliable clutchmeans requiring a minimum of components and adjustment. To this end, itis a feature of the invention that elements of the tub and agitator areincorporated in the novel clutching mechanism.

In accordance with general features of the invention, there is providedin a washing machine simple and effec tive clutch means for releasablycoupling reversible drive means, through the agency of an agitatordriven thereby, with the rotatable tub means of a washing machinerapidly to spin said means in response to movement of the drive means inone direction, said clutch means including a coupling member reactingbetween said tub means and the agitator to provide the drive couplingfor spinning the tub means.

In accordance with the foregoing as well as other objects andadvantages, a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a washingmachine employing upwardly presented rotatable tub means, there beingdisposed concentrically therewith and extending into the is mountedwithin the slot for slidable movement between end portions of the latterin response to forward or reverse rotation of the shaft. The saidclutching member includes a first face portion that engages an upwardlypresented portion of the tub means, and a second face portion isdisposed angularly with respect to the first face portion and isreleasably engageable with the obliquely disposed or inclined disk-likemember. The construction and arrangement is such that the slotted memberprovides lost motion coupling between the shaft and the clutching memberin such manner that driving the shaft in a forward direction moves theclutching member out of engagement with the obliquely disposed member orwobble plate, thereby affording actuation of said wobble plate alone tocarry out the washing operation. Driving the shaft in a reversedirection effects engagement of the second face portion of the clutchingmember with the wobble plate thereby preventing agitating movementthereof and thus effecting coupling of the rotatable tub with the shaft,rotating both the tub and the wobble plate substantially as a unit andthus carrying out the spinning or water extracting operation.

The manner in which the foregoing objectives may best be achieved willbe more clearly understood from a consideration of the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of laundry apparatusembodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of mechanism embodiedin the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary showing, in elevation, of mechanism shown inFigure 2, and illustrating an operational feature thereof;

Figure 4 is a view partly in section, looking in the direction of thearrows 4-4 as applied to Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a similar to Figure 3 and illustrates an additionaloperational feature of the mechanism;

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 4, looking in the direction of arrows 66as applied to Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a perspective showing, with parts broken away, of apparatusseen in Figure 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Figure 1 shows a wobbletype washing machine including an outer casing or cabinet ll! housing afixed tub 11; this latter member forms an enclosure for the dual walledrotatable cylinder or wash tub 12, which member is of cylindrical shapewith inclined walls extending to increased cross-sectional area at thetop and having an inwardly extending peripheral wall portion 13preventing escape of clothing over the top edge of the wash tub. Theclothes cylinder 12 comprises a foraminous inner porcelain shell 14backed by a spaced imperforate casing 15, the perforate shell 14permitting sediment heavier than water to pass behind the clothes andthrough the space between the shell members. This arrangement permitssediment to drain over the top edge of the casing 15 withoutredepositing on the articles during the extraction operation. Aplurality of elongated slots 16 disposed along the inwardly extendingwall portion 13 natesxin an obliquely mounted crank 20 rigidly securedto the shaft by a pin 24. The crank 20 is rotatably journalled on theinner race of a bearing 25 seated within a drive hub 26, the latterbeing securely mounted to the tub casing 15 as by the cap screws 27shown.

To provide the characteristic wobble action, a ball bearing 28 isinterposed between the crank 20 and the agitator support 29, forming amount for the entire agitator assembly 30. This arrangement, on rotationof the Shaft 19 in a predetermined direction, as will be hereinaftermore fully described, produces oscillatory or gyrating rotation of thecrank 20 which in turn imparts a progressive, substantially non-rotativewobbling or undulatory motion to the agitator support 29 and theassembly 30 mounted thereon. Rotative movements of the agitator support29, with respect to the casing 15, are prevented by means of thefluid-tight flexible and resilient diaphragm 34 interconnecting thecasing 15 and the agitator base plate 35, the latter being mounted, byany convenient means, to support 29. A flexible flipper 36 issandwichedbetween a spacer plate 37 and a retaining plate 38, this entiresub-assembly being secured by screws 33 to the agitator base plate 35,for wobbling movement therewith.

Additional agitator elements include an upward extension 39 of the driveshaft 19 which extends through the agitator assembly proper, one end ofthe shaft being seated within an upper portion of the crank 20 andrigidly secured thereto by a pin 40. A suitably formed column 44 ismounted to the shaft extension 39, said column advantageously serving toprevent clothes from covering the agitator assembly proper and therebysmothering the agitating action. Novel structural features of theagitator means 30 are fully disclosed and claimed in my copendingapplication for Washing Machine, Serial No. 702,362, filed December 12,1957, now Patent No. 2,902,851, and assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention. In view of the above mentioned disclosure, no furtherdescription of the agitator means per so will be undertaken.

The agitator shaft 19 is driven by a reversible motor 45 acting throughsuitable centrifugal clutch means 46 coupled to the agitator shaft bythe belt drive 47.

Since laundry apparatus equipped with agitator means of the so-calledwobble-plate type is well known in the art, further and more detaileddescription of the overall operating principles of such a machine arenot necessary herein. However, if desired, reference may be had to mycopending application for Clothes Washing Machine, Serial No. 371,382,filed July 30, 1953, now Patent No. 2,871,689, which discloses andclaims such a wobble-plate laundry apparatus.

The cabinet or casing shown in Figure 1 further in cludes, as best seenin Figure 2, a horizontal member 10a having afiixed thereto, by knownmeans, a vertically extending tube 10b. The hub means 26 for the tubcasing includes an extension 26a disposed within the tube 1%. Hubextension 2601 is journalled for rotation relative to the tube ltlb bybushings B. The tub casing 15 is supported for rotatable movements uponmember 10a through the agency of known thrust bearing means (not shown)associated with the lower end of the hub extension 26a. A helical springS reacts between the inner portion of tube 1% and an outer portion ofthe hub extension 26a to prevent rotation of the tub casing 15 duringagitator action. Additional hearing or journal means (not shown) mayalso be interposed between the lower end of the shaft 19 and member 10ato prevent undue bending of the shaft.

In particular accordance with the present invention, and referringfurther to Figures 3 to 7, retainer means 48, preferably although notnecessarily a metal stamping, is secured to the lower portion of thecrank of shaft means 19. This stamping is secured for rotation with theshaft means by bifurcated tab means 49 engaging the ends "of pin 24.Stamping 48 has formed therein an elongated arcuately shaped aperture orslot 50, extending concentrically with the shaft 19. A tab 54 extendsupwardly from the stamping adjacent the right hand end (as viewed in thedrawings) of the slot 50. A wedge 55 is disposed for sliding movementswithin the slot 50, said wedge having an angularly disposed face portion56 (Figure 3) presented toward lower face portion 31 of the agitatorsupport 29. The wedge 55 also has a face portion 57 opposite theangularly disposed face, said face 57 engaging and being carried by anupwardly presented surface portion 32 of the hub 26. Vertical face 58 ofthe wedge is engageable by the tab 54, as seen in Figures 3 and 7, whenthe shaft 19 is rotated in the forward direction indicated by the arrowsapplied to Figures 3 and 4. Inasmuch as the stamping 48 is keyed to theshaft 19, these elements will rotate as a unit either in a forward(Figures 3 and 4) or a reverse (Figures 5, 6, and 7) direction. Theconstruction and arrangement is such that the wedge 55, during agitatoraction, as afforded by forward rotation of the shaft (Figures 3 and 4),is moved by tab 54 along surface 32 of the hub means in such a mannerthat angular face 56 of the wedge is at all times clear of, and in thesame relative position with respect to, overlying surface portions 31 ofthe agitator support 29 as the latter moves in its characteristicallyundulatory manner. 0n reverse rotation of the shaft 19, as shown inFigures 5, 6, and 7, the tab 54 is disengaged from the wedge 55, and byvirtue of the lost motion connection provided by the left hand portionof the slot 50, the face 56 of the wedge engages surface 31 of theagitator support just as the latter begins to wobble or undulate in theopposite direction with the reversely rotating shaft 19. Engagement ofthe face 56, of the wedge 55, with the surface 31 elfectively locks theagitator support to the hub, thereby providing transmission of powerfrom the agitator shaft to the tub through the agency of the crank 20,agitator support 29, wedge 55, and hub 26to rotate the latter for thespinning or water extracting operation.

Upon completion of the spinning or water extracting operation, and atsuch predetermined time as it is desired again to initiate operation ofthe agitator for the washing or rinsing cycle, the shaft 19 need only bedriven in its forward direction, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4,whereupon the agitator support 29 during its undulating movement ismoved away from face 56 of the wedge followed by tab 54 engaging surface58 of the wedge to drive the latter as shown in Figure 5.

To insure optimum operation of the novel clutch mechanism, the wedgepreferably is disposed in a region spaced substantially from either theupper or lower limits of travel of the agitator support. This conditionclearly appears in Figure 3, where the left and right ends of theagitator support 29 are shown in positions corresponding to therespective lowermost and uppermost limits of travel thereof with respectto the hub face 32. By virtue of this construction, and in operation ofthe agitator alone, the wedge is driven with the shaft in such a mannerthat the agitator support is, during any increment of movement thereof,moving ahead of the wedge. Conversely, in order to effect the spinningoperation, the lost motion connection of the wedge to the drive shaft isso arranged as to provide relative closing movements of the wedge andthe agitator support, thereby effectively locking the latter through thewedge to the tub means, preventing relative movements between the bentshaft or crank and agitator, and providing a tub-driving couplingbetween the shaft and the tub. In any event, the slope of wedge face 56should substantially parallel the surface 31 of agitator mounting 29.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that simple andeffective clutch means, requiring a minimum, of actuating linkages, hasbeen provided for selectively coupling and uncoupling a pair ofcoaxially disposed rotatable elements. While the aforesaid clutch means,for the purposes of illustration, has been embodied in a washingmachine, it is to be understood that the clutch means is adapted to suchother apparatus as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In laundry apparatus, the combination comprising: rotatable tubmeans; selectively reversible drive means for rotating said tub means,said drive means including a portion extending into said tub means;wobble-plate agitator means carried by said portion of the drive meansdisposed within the tub means and adapted for undulatory movementsrelative to the latter; and clutch means for releasably coupling saiddrive means with said rotatable tub means, to rotate the same with saidagitator means, including a member driven with said tub means anddisposed for engagement by and to react between said tub means and saidwobble-plate agitator means upon undulatory movement of the latter bythe drive means in one direction, said member being disengaged by saidagitator means upon undulatory movement of the latter by the drive meansin an opposite direction to wobble said agitator means alone.

2. In combination, rotatable hub means, rotatable shaft means disposedcoaxially with respect to said hub means and including an obliquelyextending crank portion disposed adjacent said hub means, means forrotating said shaft means in either a forward or a reverse direction,disk means journalled to said crank portion and including a facepresented toward said hub means, means providing for non-rotativeundulatory movements of said disk means with respect to said hub meansupon forward rotation of said shaft means, and clutch means forreleasably coupling said shaft means, in response to reverse rotationthereof, with said hub means to rotate the latter and said disk means asa unit, said clutch means including a wedge driven with said shaft meansand having a first face portion slidably engaging said hub means, saidwedge having a second face portion opposite the first and beingengageable with said disk means, said wedge being coupled to said shaftmeans and driven therewith whereby driving the shaft means in theforward direction moves the undulating disk means ahead of the secondface portion of the wedge means, and driving the shaft means in thereverse direction moves the undulating disk means against the saidsecond face portion of the wedge means thereby to prevent the mentionedundulatory movements and effect driving connection between said shaftmeans and said hub means.

3. In laundry apparatus, the combination comprising: rotatable tubmeans; a selectively reversible drive shaft for rotating said tub meansand including an inclined portion extending into said tub means;wobble-plate agitator means carried by said inclined shaft portion disposed within the tub means for undulatory movements thereof when theshaft is driven in one direction; and clutch means for releasablycoupling said shaft with said rotatable tub means, to rotate the samewith said agitator means when the shaft is driven in a directionopposite to said one direction, including a member disposed forengagement by, and to react between, said tub means and saidwobble-plate agitator means to prevent undulatory movements of thelatter upon rotation of the shaft in said opposite direction, saidagitator means being releasable from engagement with said member uponrotation of the shaft in said one direction to provide operation of saidagitator means alone.

4. In laundry apparatus of the type including upwardly presented tubmeans, a reversible drive shaft having a portion extending into said tubmeans, a wobble-plate agitator carried by said shaft portion disposedwithin the tub means, and clutch means for engaging said shaft with saidrotatable tub means to rotate the latter, comprising: wedge means havingan angularly disposed face presented toward said wobble-plate agitatorand releasably engageable with the latter, said wedge means also hav inga face opposite said angularly disposed face and engaging said tubmeans; and a lost motion driving connection between said shaft and saidwedge means, the construction and arrangement being such that drivingthe shaft in one direction moves said agitator into forcible engagementwith said angularly disposed face of the wedge thereby preventingwobbling movement of the agitator to effect rotation of said agitatorand tub means as a unit, and rotation of said shaft in the oppositedirection moves said agitator ahead of said Wedge means therebyaccommodating movement of the agitator alone.

5. In combination, rotatable shaft means having a portion inclinedrelative thereto, reversible drive means for said shaft means, rotatablehub means concentric with and normally rotatable about said shaft means,a disk-like member journalled to the inclined portion of said shaftmeans and restrained, by means extending between said disk-like memberand said hub means, from relative rotative movements between said memberand hub means, thereby to effect undulatory movements of said disk-likemember-in response to rotation of said shaft means, and clutch meansreleasably coupling said hub means with said shaft means, andcomprising: a member movable with said shaft means having a slot spacedradially from the shaft means and disposed along an arc concentrictherewith; and a clutching member mounted within said slot for slidablemovement toward end portions of the slot in response to forward orreverse rotation of said shaft means, whereby lost motion connection isprovided between the latter and said clutching member, said lastmentioned member including a first face portion engaging said hub meansand a second face portion releasably engageable with said disk-likemember, the construction and arrangement being such that upon drivingthe shaft in one direction the lost motion connection permits theundulatory disk-like member to move ahead of the clutching memberthereby to effect disengagement of the latter from the disk-like member,thereby accommodating non-rotative undulatory movements of the lastnamed member alone, and, upon driving the shaft in a reverse direction,the clutching member is engaged by said disk-like member therebypreventing undulatory movements thereof and coupling said rotatable hubmeans with said shaft to rotate the hub means and said disk-like memberas a unit.

6. In laundry apparatus, the combination comprising: tub means;unidirectionally rotatable hub means mounting said tub means; rotatableshaft means coaxial with said hub means and adapted to be drivenselectively in either a forward or a reverse direction, said shaft meansincluding an inclined portion extending into said tub means adjacentsaid hub means; agitator means including a disk-likemember journalled tosaid inclined shaft portion; resilient means extending between said tubmeans and said agitator means preventing substantial relative rotativemovements between said tub means and said agitator means upon rotationof said rotatable shaft means in the direction of non-rotation of thehub means thereby to effect undulatory movements of said disk-likemember; wedge means including a first face portion engaging said hubmeans and a second face portion opposite the first face portion andbeing engageable with said disk-like member; and means movable with saidshaft providing lost motion coupling of said Wedge means with the shaftand effecting movement of the wedge means along an arc concentric withsaid shaft, the construction and arrangement being such that driving theshaft means in the forward direction moves the undulating disk-likemember ahead of the second face portion of the wedge means, and drivingthe shaft means in the reverse direction moves the undulating disk-likeelement against the said second face portion of the wedge means 7 8thgreby to pyevmt the mentioned undulatory movements 1,992,527 GarrattFeb. 26, 1935 and *flet drivin 'c'dnnection between said shaft m'ans2;;8 26,'(56 Bruckinam Mar. I1, -1958 n'd said hi ibmeans torotat'e saidtub means in Said 1"e- 2-,'83'1,333 I Smith Apr. 22, 1958 Wise diretion.V

5 FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the filfi Of this patent 10 -Fr cJuly 3 1944 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,852,735 Chopin Apr. 5, 1932

